Walking Forward
by Samishere21
Summary: Lizzie has just returned from St. Mary's amputee care and prosthetic services after a road side bomb went off in Afghanistan when she meets arrogant business man will Darcy.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi this is my first story and I don't have a beta (if you like the story you can?) If you find mistakes tell me. **

**Enjoy**

I sighed as I sat down on the couch of my sister's apartment. The last 5 months had been very hard on me.

_I was dizzy when I woke up. I looked up at the sky and saw it was dark, but that wasn't right. It had been morning when I fell asleep in the back of the truck when Cuttler was driving to the camp for a reconacence. _

_Then I heard a hushed voice nearby "She has had a terrible ordeal!" someone whispered-yelled "She will go to the rehabatation center tomorrow" then I heard the voice I had escaped six years ago. _

_"SHE WILL NOT, I WILL TAKE HER HOME TOMORROW AND SHE CN LIVE LIKE THIS, IT'S HER OWN FAULT!" my mother said-wailed at the man who I think was the doctor._

_"What's my own fault?" I rasped at my mother, I was surprise to hear how parched my voice was. _

_"Miss Bennet, I am sorry to inform you that when you were in Afghanistan you and your partner hit an IED and-"_

_"YOUR LEG GOT BLOWN OFF! AND THAT NICE BOY ROB DIED!" Yelled my mother, _

_I looked at the doctor and he nodded slightly, letting me know that she was telling the truth. My mind went into shock, I slowly lifted up the blanket and sheet and saw that where my leg should be was an empty place and further up was a stump about two inches down from my knee. Just then I realize what the second thing my mother said was. Rob was dead. _

_Rob Cuttler had been my best friend since sixth grade, when he got kicked out of his house at sixteen for being gay he lived at my house for two years before living together during collage and when we both signed up for the army. It had been my idea. His death was on my hands._

I shook my head to get rid of some of my worst memories. It had taken a lot for me to stop blaming herself for Rob's death and even longer to get used to having an artificial leg, I was still getting used to it and sometimes when I was flustered I would stumbled a bit.

Just then my sister breezed in. Jane was the best sister anyone could ask for, she always listened to others opinions and tried to see the best in everyone. She was an elementary school teacher and all her kids loved her to the ends of the earth, she had been the only one to visit me while I was at the rehabilitation center.

"We are going out tonight. Okay?" Jane said in a sweet voice.

"Ohhh, must we?" I asked in a fake British accent, I was too tired to celebrate my release tonight. I just wanted to eat ice cream and fall asleep watching Bones with Jane.

"Yes, Charlotte insists," said Jane. "she says that it's a celebration of life and loss."

"Charlotte is too sentimental for her own good." I grumbled.

"You were the last person to see her brother alive, she has a right to be." said Jane in a doting voice.

"Up, onward, to get dressed up" I said in a childish voice, taking Jane's hand and pulling myself to my foot and other thing. We walked in to her bedroom and I walked to her closet, opened the door and saw that half the closet was filled with dresses, "I am NOT wearing a dress" I state firmly.

"But then you won't be able to swish your skirt, you love that" Jane said pouting and giving me huge doe eyes.

"No"

"But-"

"No" I said and grabbed a pair of black dress pants and a bright yellow top, I took of my sweat pants and baggie _gap_ sweater and pulled on the dress pants, they only got stuck on my leg once. Then I buttoned up the yellow blouse after that I was about to put on my runners when Jane unseromously shoved a pair of yellow flats in my face and said I should wear them instead, so I did.

Jane and I went down the elevator and into her car, and she drove us to the bar we were supposed to meet charlotte at. It was stuffy and crowded in the bar with lots of men hanging around, there must have been a hockey game on. I spotted Charlotte at the bar wearing a dress and stilettos with her briefcase and a blazer beside her, Charlotte was a lawyer. She had worked for her father's firm for 3 years and she was good at it but found it to be the most boring thing ever. Charlotte had always wanted to be a mother, I thought this was weird I mean we are in the 21centurey why would someone be a stay at home mom?

"Hello my dearly missing friend" Charlotte slurred, she already had a few shot glasses in front of her and she had always been a bit of a lightweight not that that stopped her from consuming a huge amount of alcohol in collage with me and Rob.

"How much vodka have you had?" I asked dryly.

"None, the fairies took the stuff from my shots" she slurred out. I rolled my eyes and sat down beside her. The barman came over and I ordered a G&T, I hadn't had alcohol in seven months and wasn't about to get smashed on my first night of freedom. Just them I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to find Jane standing there with two other guys I had never met before.

"Lizzie, Char, I want you to meet Charlie and his friend Will Darcy.

Line break. 

**Okay how was it? Did you like it? If you did leave review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Again if you find any mistakes pleas tell me. Thanks for the follows, favorites and reviews!**

"Very nice to meet you Charlie, Darcy" I said and smiling at each of them before reaching behind to take the drink the bartender had put behind me. Jane saw me drinking and snatched it out of my hand

"Hey!?" I said attracting Charlie and Darcy's attention "give it back."

"No, you can't have alcohol you'll be stumbling around in seconds and I'll have to drag you back to the car" Jane said. I can hold my drink but I haven't been drunk since I lost my leg

"I'll live" I said and reached out and snatched the drink from her. Then I proceeded to drink it, fast.

"See I'm fine" I said looking at her.

"No more" Jane said, I heard a cough to my right and saw Charlie and Darcy standing there looking at us. Well, Charlie was looking at Jane and Darcy was glaring at me.

"Jane" said Charlie "would you like to dance?" he asked obviously looking for a way to change the subject and wanting to be with Jane. I knew that look, it was one of total complete infatuation on his part and by Jane's blush I think she liked him too.

"Sure" she said smiling.

"I'll be hanging out with Charlotte, okay?" I said and then walked off. I turned to Darcy and was about to ask him to join us when he turned on the spot and walked away towards the corner of the room. 'Well that was rude' I thought. I turned around and walked back to Charlotte but I stumbled quite a lot because I was bumped into in the crowded room.

"You look drunk, people will think the army made you a lightweight" said Charlotte. I looked over and saw collection of different glasses.

"Shut up" I said "Jane said I can't have alcohol."

"F**k Jane, you can drink if you want" said Charlotte.

"I promised, she gave me the eyes" I said.

"I'm drink for you, then, sunshine" said Charlotte.

"Oh no, if I can't drink then neither can you." I said "Bartender I'll give you $50 not to give this lady anymore alcohol" I yelled at him, he looked over at me and the money in my hand, walked over and took the $50.

"Lizzie!" moaned/slurred Charlotte "I was going to get drunk."

"You're already drunk" I smirked at her.

"That's the idea" she said looking at me "I need to forget everything, especially Rob" a tear rolled down her cheek I looked over and moved to hug her but she pushed me away.

"It's your fault, you made him join the army" she sent spitefully.

"Charlotte I didn't want this to happen. How could I know that this would happen? He was one of my best friends. I'm mourning his death as well" I started crying and the tears are ruining my makeup and my evening so I rushed to the ladies room. When I walked in I found it was empty and smelt like puke. I washed my face in the sink and looked at myself in the mirror for a minute. Rob had been so full of life. He laughed all time even when we were deployed in Afghanistan. The best thing about him was that no one could change him and he was proud of that. I thought about what you would say to me now. 'Come on, youve already become besotted with the only pretty girl here and I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings"

"Jane is gorgeous but her sister Lizzy is around here somewhere and she's pretty too".

"I don't dance with drunks who can't walk in a straight line, Charlie" said Darcy in a snotty voice.

I needed to share this conversation with someone so I walked back to the bar and shared what he said with Charlotte. By the end she was glaring at Darcy is well.

"Well that was rude even if he didn't know you could hear him?" Charlotte said "Hey Lizzie, he's staring at you"

"What?" I looked over and he was but it was more like glaring. I said so to Charlotte. Just then Jane walked over to us and made us go dance with her on the dance floor. I could feel Darcy's glare following me across the room as I walk/stumbled.

11:50 PM Jane and I went home to her apartment where we both crashed on the couch.

The next morning I was woken by Jane's moan.

"Never let me get dunk again."

"I'm glad I didn't drink. Now I can call you a hypocrite for stopping me drinking a lot."

"I hate you "Jane groaned.

"I make my hangover blend" I said this was a concoction I made in high school when Charlotte was still a lightweight at drinking and I wanted to be a chef. It was basically coffee with spring onions, celery, a cookie and one egg yolk, blended together. It tasted horrible but helps with hangovers a lot.

"I love you" she looked at her phone and said "can you make two extra doses? I asked Charlie, his sister and Darcy over for coffee last night so they're coming in 30 minutes."

I turned around "You did what?" I asked.

"I invited Charlie and Darcy and Charlie sister over for coffee and a hangover blend "Jane said innocently.

I got up and started to walk away "Where are you going?" she asked me slightly alarmed.

"To my room to hide until they leave" I said stiffly.

"No please don't" begged Jane "it'll look weird if it's only me to greet them. What can I do to persuade you?" she asked.

"Three books from dadt support myself.

"Colin I swear if you're here to propose then I will kill you" I yelled.

"N-! i-s ch-" I still couldn't hear so walked over to the balcony and stuck my head out the window looking down. Our apartment is on the third floor and looks out on the street so I can see people at the entrance I looked down and saw two heads at the door.

"Hello" I yelled in the way that was used in the army, the two men looked up and I recognize Charlie and Darcy with big sunglasses on.

"Lizzie, can you let us up "yelled Charlie smiling.

"Sure" I walked back to the intercom to buzz them up. I went to put some music on and socks because my artificial leg made a noise when I put weight on it and my foot was cold. I heard them knocking the door just as the coffee pot was done. I walk to the door and opened it. There they stood, one smiling and one looking blank.

"Come in" I said "you're early. Jane is still in the shower, so you can sit in here or stand with me in the kitchen though I would suggest sitting here. It will make the stuff easier to drink "I smiled grimly.

"Why" asked Charlie just as Darcy said "kitchen" with a look at Charlie that said all too plainly that he didn't want to be here.

"Okay, to the kitchen" I walked over to the kitchen. I took the coffee and put it in the blender when Jane came out of the bathroom and walked in. "Charlie, Darcy, hi "she said.

"Hi Jane" They both said.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're early!" said Jane "Sorry I wasn't here when you came in. I was in the shower, so I couldn't be hear the doorbell or Lizzie yell out of the window" she smiled charmingly.

"She makes a habit out of that, I suppose" said Charlie laughing.

"Hey! The intercom's broken and I'm making you food, so I would be nice to me, if I were you" I said teasingly to them both. They started talking about something and I went back to making the stuff for their hangovers. How they could be so cheerful while claiming to have drunk loads last night I would never know.

Throughout the whole conversation Darcy had been standing in the corner rubbing his temples. "Can we turn off the music please?" he asked tersely "It's giving me a headache" I looked up sharply. If Jane was polite, which she always tries to be, then she would turn it off, but she knew that in the quiet of our apartment they would be able to hear my leg's 'KAAlunk' sound every time I made a step and I hated people knowing I had an artificial leg.

"Um, I'll turn it down" said Jane sweetly but unsurely looking at me. I turned on the blender with all the ingredients inside and all three of them flinched at the noise. I turned it off and poured the disgusting looking liquid into three glasses. Charlie and Darcy looked at the glasses mistrustfully.

"I know it looks gross, but it really helps" I said to them and Jane walked up and took one of the glasses. She held her nose and gulped it down.

"Uhhhh" she said "Lizzie, why did you have to make it so gross?"

"Because it's the only thing that works" I said laughing at the face she made. Charlie and Darcy came up and got the drinks on the counter as well after a glance at each other. Darcy unsubtlety sniffed his drink before drinking half a mouth full. His face got red and he put his glass down and ran out of the kitchen. "What's wrong with him" I ask affronted because no one made him drink it.

"Darcy has a weak stomach when he has hangovers" explained Charlie "I probably should have mentioned that" he looked at us guiltily.

"No kidding" I say sarcastically. I left the kitchen and walked over to the bathroom, where I could hear retching from inside. "Are you alright?" I banged on the door.

"I'm fine!" came Darcy's snappish retort.

"Alright, then" I mumbled to myself as I walked away. Back in the kitchen Jane and Charlie were talking and laughing. I decided to leave them alone and sat in the hall reading a book I found there. When I moved out of my parent's house I took half of the books to our house (this was a lot of books) so there are books stacked on the floor randomly all over the apartment. It was one of these stacks that Darcy tripped on when he came out of the bathroom.

"Ahhh!" he yelled as he crashed on the floor bringing Jane and Charlie running.

"Oh my gosh! Are you all right?" Asked Jane sweetly peering down at him while Charlie helped him up.

"Fine" snapped Darcy, dusting of his shirt. "Charlie, I'm going to go. Okay?"

"Wait for five minutes and I'll come with you" said Charlie. He turned to Jane and said to her in a sweet voice "Thank you for inviting us over and I would really like to return the favor so would you come over and have dinner at my new house on Tuesday. Lizzie is welcome as well of course, but it would mean ever so much if you would. Think of it as an apology for running out on you today" he smiled charmingly.

"Well-" Jane started "I'm busy but Jane would love to come. Thank you for the invitation" I said as I stood up from the floor slowly and awkward coming up behind her and putting my hand on her shoulder for support. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Darcy standing at the end of the hall looking at my hand and the way I was swaying slightly from standing up with disgust.

"Great" said Charlie. He shook both of our hands and walked to Darcy and the door, turned, smiled and walked out.

Jane turned to me "why did you tell him you were busy? What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm going job hunting" I said "Lizzie you don't need-"

"Yes I do. I can't just keep hanging off you and you know it" I said sternly

"Lizzie you don't cost much and I am fine with my pay" said Jane sweetly.

"I'll get a job and I'll pay for all the food and cook" I bargained, Jane had always loved my cooking.

"Fine" said Jane."But you don't have to try really hard, mum I'd kill me if I were to wear you out. Not that I'd tell her" she added hastily when I glared at her.

"Good" I said walking back to my room and lying on my bed.

"What are you doing?" asked Jane following me and standing in the doorway.

"Dying, slowly. " I mumbled in to my pillow.

"No, really"

I sighed and sat up," I put my leg on too quickly and it's uncomfortable so I'm redoing it" I explained.

"Oh" said Jane "I'll help" she walked around and sat down beside me. Jane had come to visit me so often in the clinic that she knew almost as much as me about the workings of my prosthetic. She held my fake foot while I wiggled out of the plastic holding my stump –as the medical staff called it- in place. She then passes me the talcum powder to help put it on. After I was finished putting it back on I walked back to the kitchen and looked through the paper Jane had fetched at some point, for jobs, there were many but not a lot I could do well with my leg. At the bottom there was one that I liked:

Waitress required

Must have sense of humor

Must have individual style

Call- 613 857 7059 for more information


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning at about eleven o'clock I called the number and a woman answered "Hello?"

"Hi" I said "I called about the job" I explained.

"Oh, yes" she said "I'm Maddie Gardener. I run the shop with my husband Ed"

"It's lovely to talk to you" I said brightly "So I want to apply for the job."

"Oh okay, why don't you come down to the shop this afternoon and we can talk about it in person?" she suggested.

"Okay! Can I come down about 1?" I asked

"Sure!" she said "The shop is on Ryland St. and it's called Trading Post" she explained and gave me the directions to the street. Just as I was hanging up, Jane came rushing in to the kitchen and asked me what I was doing today.

"I got a job interview at a café" I said

Jane's eyes got sad "you know you don't have to, don't you?" she asked.

"I know I don't have to" I said "but if I keep living off you then where will you be? I want you to have a life you love. You deserve a life you love" I said.

"I know that you think I can't have a normal life with you living here, but I do. I like having a flat mate." Jane said fiercely.

"I enjoy having you as a flat mate as well, but I don't think you can have a good life as me being dependent on you. Jane, I know you and you would feel guilty doing anything that might make you move on without me. Since I came back from Afghanistan you haven't dated or changed in anyway. Don't get me wrong I am so grateful to you but I don't want you to resent me for it someday. So I'll get a job and stop being so helpless" I said looking in her eyes.

"We'll still be flat mates but I won't be like your child" I smiled at her.

"Okay" she sighed; "I'm going to go to work now" she said and walked out of my room. I heard her put on her jacket and go out the door.

I got up walked to the counter and decided to do some baking. I got one of my favorite cook book 'Bread' out of one of the cupboards. I flicked through it and found one of my favorite recipes 'soft treacle parkin'. I got all the ingredients together and started making it.

In an hour I was singing along loudly to Disney songs and waiting for the timer to buzz, while doing the washing up. When the timer buzzed, I took it out of the oven and put in on a cooling rack after checking it was cooked. I then finished the washing up and went to get changed into some clean clothes before leaving and locking the apartment.

I walked down the stairs to the lobby and picked up a bus route guide and looked for a route that would lead me to the café, I found one pretty quickly and was waiting outside when the bus came. I had to change buses twice but I got to the shop with five minutes to spare and it was on the other side of town. I walked in and instantly loved it.

The store was rectangular; the floor was white and black tiles. The walls were striped and there were different types of book cases all over the walls. There were five tables and a counter that had books stacked on the end and part of the counter was glass and had pastries and cakes on display. I could see a little kitchen through an opening behind a counter.

There were a couple of people inside but I guess most people were at their jobs at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. When I walked up to the counter there was a young woman who had pink hair and purple highlights. She was about 5'9 and slim with long legs and a sweet face.

I walked over to her and said "hH, I'm Lizzie and I was supposed to meet Maddie today"

"I'm Maddie, it's nice to meet you" she smiled and led me to a table, where we sat down

"so, you want to work here, huh? Why"

"I liked your ad and I need to work somewhere. I recently came back from a… a…trip and I need a new job" I know I lied but I didn't want a pity job and I didn't want her to think I couldn't do it.

"Do you have a resume?" she asked, I shook my head. "Can any one guarantee your work ethic?" I shook my head "So why do you think we'll hire you?"

"Well your ad sounded interesting and I think I have a sense of humor and style. I can get old teachers to talk to you but nothing more than that. My last job wasn't something I like to talk to others about, or think about really. I can get friends and my sister to talk about humor and style. Not that I have many friends in the country at the moment." I smiled sheepishly at her.

"Okay, well why don't we try a trial run?" she said "tomorrow you can come in and we'll see how it goes and then me and Ed will make our decision" she suggested.

"That's great!" I said happily "I'll see you tomorrow then" I smiled and got up from the table.

"Bye" she said and went back to the counter. I walked out of the store and down the block to the bus station. When I was there I whooped and stuck my fist in the air. I was so happy about it being my first job since college, apart from the army- but I didn't really think of that as a job more like a pastime. I waited for the bus and started home.

When I looked at the clock on my phone I realized that it was only quarter to two, so I went down town and walked around and looked at the shop windows and at around three I went back to the apartment.

When I got back I found Jane walking inside the building. "Jane!" I called out "how was school?" I asked.

"Good" she said "the kids were great, nothing special about today" she smiled at me.


	5. Chapter 5

After we walked in to the apartment Jane asked me what the smell was. I told her what I had baked and then we sat down. "So how was the job interview?" she asked.

"Great" I said"I didn't have a resume or anything so we decided to have a trial tomorrow and see how it went" I then told her about Maddie and the café.

"Oh, now you won't be able to go to Charlie's with me" she said.

"I already declined, remember" I smiled.

"Yeah but you could come with me and say you finished early, but now I have to go alone" she sighed. I knew what she was worried about. Jane was shy sometimes and she hid that shyness by being really nice to everyone. Some people used to call her the drone in high school because they thought she had no character. She heard about this and freaked out at home the next day. Jane had always been shy afterwards and she often got scared that someone else might think this of her, if she did it at Charlie's she would be mortified.

"You'll be fine" I said reassuringly "and hey if anything happens or you are uncomfortable, text me and I'll page you" I grinned. When I got out of rehab one of the nurses suggested that Jane get a pager so I could call her if I was having difficulties while she was at work and she had taken to the idea well, so she had a pager with LIZZIE written on it.

"Okay" she smiled "so since you aren't going to be here tomorrow will you help me pick out my outfit for tomorrow"

"Of course" I laughed and we walked in to her room In about an hour we were both lying on the bed giggling and laughing while being surrounded by our clothes. "Of course Charlie won't care if you show up nude-well he'd portably be happy- OW! He'll be busy staring at your face" I said and Jane hit me lightly on the shoulder.

"Maybe, but I want to look my best for him and I want to impress his sister or at least make her like me" said Jane, she got up and walked over to the outfit she had finally decided to wear. It was a blouse that was black and embroidered with gold flowers and white jeans with black pumps. The whole outfit with Jane's honey-golden licks was really pretty.

"You will. How could anyone not like you? You're kind and pretty and awesome" I said "now, moving on from the mushy stuff. Pillow fight!" I yelled and threw a pillow at her face, it hit and she grabbed it of the floor and through it back at me. I threw it back at her and ran out of the room as fast as I could (which wasn't very fast). I ran down the hall way and in to the kitchen and hid behind the fridge. I heard her run after me and she came charging around the fridge and attacked me. We ended up rolling on the floor after thoroughly beating each other with pillows. I sighed

"Well, better start to clean up and then I'll make dinner."

"Okay" said a smiling Jane "I'll clean my bedroom and you clean the kitchen?" she suggested.

"Yeah, sure" I said "what do you want for dinner?" I asked as an afterthought.

"Don't care" yelled Jane from her room.

"How about Indian?" I asked because sometimes Jane is kind of picky with her food.

"Sounds great" she yelled back. So I looked through my Indian cook book and came to the recipe for chicken korma and made it. After dinner I crashed on my bed.

The next morning I awoke to hear the door slam. I got dressed and walked in to the kitchen. I looked at the clock and saw it was 9:15 so the door slam had been from Jane leaving for work. I made breakfast. I then realized that I had to leave in ten minutes to get to the store on time at ten o'clock for my trial shift.

When I got there I met Maddie at the counter again. Today she had an eyebrow piercing in her left eyebrow and a curved plastic horn in her ear which was the exact same shade as her hair. "Oh, Lizzie! Hi" she smiled "I want you to meet my husband Ed" she walked in to the little back room and came out with a man who was older than her by at least seven years. He was tall and lanky with light brown hair and a tired but content smile on his face. He looked at Maddie with such adoration, I just knew that their marriage was the best kind, loving, happy and perfect.

"Hello, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Ed but you already knew that." He smiled and I realized I was going to love being here.

"Hi I'm Lizzie, it's splendid to meet you" I said.

"Nice word choice" he grinned.

"I practiced" I laughed "on the way here"

"That's not peculiar at all" he teased

"Now that was good word choice!" I smiled

"Are you two finished? I would like some help at the counter Lizzie and Ed, I just heard the timer for your éclairs" said Maddie teasingly

"Oh, coming" I said as Ed walked back in to the kitchen in the back. Maddie showed me how to work the cash register and the coffee machines.

"Okay well, I'm going to the farmer's market to get some more coffee beans and stuff" said Maddie. She took off her apron and put it on a hook I hadn't seen before in the door way to the kitchen. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the store. The rest of the day was pretty normal. I worked and joked with Ed and Maddie. At about five thirty, I was let off work but I stuck around because they said they needed to talk to me about the job so I sat at a table and read a book from the shelves.

At six when the shop was closing Maddie and Ed came over. "Lizzie, we discussed it and we would be thrilled if you could work for us" said Ed.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" I grinned. We discussed my work hours and pay for a while and then I decide to tell them about my leg. "So, I haven't been completely been honest with you" I said.

"What do you mean?" asked Maddie.

"Well the thing is that I wasn't on a trip before I came to work for you. I was in the army for three years" I said "and about five months ago I was… well, I was blown up" I looked at them, they had horrified looks on their faces "I lived but my partner didn't and I lost my leg" I explained, I bent down and lifted my ankle length skirt to show them my prostic.

"Oh, lizzie that is positively horrible and if you need any help we'll be here for you" she reached over to me and squeezed my shoulder.

"Of course we will be" said Ed "I had cancer when I was in my thirties and I fully empathize with your situation."

"That's great. I am really looking forward to working with you" I said "um I don't mean to be rude but I have to go home or I'll miss my bus" I said. I said goodbye, hugged them and walked out of the shop.

Just as I was walking into my apartment at about 6:50 my cellphone rang "Hello, captain Bennet speaking" I answered out of habit.

"um, is this Lizzie Bennet's phone?" asked a masculine voice.

"Speaking" I said "who is this?" I asked.

"This is Darcy" said the guy.

"Oh my god, is Jane okay?" I asked in a panic.

"She's fine, well she has food poisoning and Charlie has decided that she is too sick to go home tonight and she will be staying here. I thought you might like to know" said Darcy.

"Okay, but I'm coming to bring her some clothes and stuff, so I'll be there in 45 minutes" I said

"How much stuff does she need?" asked Darcy grumpily.

"Not much" I said "but I have to take a bus there and it will take me a while." I explained harshly.

"No need, I'll come pick you up," I was about to protest when he said "Jane seems anxious to see you" I gave up.

"Fine I'll be ready in 15 minutes, can you pick me up by then?" I asked.

"Fine" Darcy snapped.


	6. Chapter 6

I put together a bag with tooth paste, clothes, hair brush etc. and was waiting at the door of the apartment building when a car pulled up and Darcy walked out. I walked up to him and asked "Can we go now? I don't want to keep Jane waiting"

He looked down at me "sure" he grunted and pivoted on his heel.

He walked back to the car really fast and I tried to keep up. "Slow down, would you?" I called "I can't keep up" I said slightly panting.

He looked at me from where he had stopped. His eyes were cold and he looked at me impassively until I caught up with him. He walked at a slower pace and walked to the trunk of the car where he let me put the two bags I had with me in it. I walked up to the passenger door and opened it as he walked up and opened the driver's side door and climbed in. We sat in silence as he drove and I stared out the window. We slowed down on a street called Netherfield and pulled into the driveway of number 11. I got out and waited for Darcy to pop the trunk so I could get our stuff.

When I walked in to the house I was amazed. It was a three storey house and was old with a tudor appearance and one stained glass window at the top of the house. When I walked in I saw that the main hall had a high ceiling and had what appeared to be crystal chandler. Charlie came rushing down the stairs and asked "Hi. How are you? Did you bring stuff for Jane? Dose she often get sick? Do you think she will be alright?" in a rush.

I smiled warmly "I'm fine and I think she will be fine" I said"Jane doesn't often get sick and I brought all the stuff she'll need until she'll get better."

Charlie grinned "Oh good, I'll show you around then?" he asked and started to lead me down the hall past the staircase.

"Actually I'd prefer it if I could see Jane and then maybe you could show me the house" I asked hopefully.

"Of course, you can see Jane!" said Charlie smiling apologetically "I show you her room" he walked me up one flight of stairs and down a hallway with many doors and the stopped at a door at the end beside a big window and bench seat. He knocked on the door and waited to hear the quiet "come in" of Jane's.

"Jane, you have a visitor" said Charlie quietly and walked to the foot of the bed where he watched as Jane's face briefly twisted uncomfortably and then she saw me.

"Lizzie!" she smiled at me and held out her arms for a hug. I immediately walked over and gave her one. As I did, she whispered in my ear "Oh Lizzie, it was awful I was sick on the dining room floor and while Darcy took me to a bathroom, he cleaned it up, oh Lizzie, he's staring at me, make him leave for now?" she almost begged.

I nodded and turned to Charlie. "Charlie I hope you don't mind but Jane's not terribly comfortable so I'm going to help her get changed… and well…" I trailed off

"Oh, okay I get it" said Charlie "'get out' okay of you need anything, let me know" he said smiling.

"Alright" I said "now, sho" I laughed and he walked out of the room, closing the door. "Now," I said turning to Jane, "you can tell me what happened and we can get you into some P.J's" I smiled at her softly.

As she was changing she started to explain. "So when I got here Charlie introduced me to his sisters and we were having a great time talking about the neighborhood and our families. I asked what was for dinner and they said that we were having take-out from a chinese place that was recommended to them and we ordered together. We were having dinner when I suddenly felt kind of light headed and I felt sick so I tried to get up to go the bathroom but I didn't make it in time and I was sick on the floor and he cleaned it up! I was sooo embarrassed and then I was almost sick on Darcy and ohh Lizzie I am so glad that you are here now. When you go down stairs (which you will be doing) you have to apologize to them from me and thank them for being so nice to me." Jane was now in some roots sweat pants and one of our dad's old shirts. She got into bed after I made her take some medicine and fell straight to sleep.

I put a bucket by the edge of the bed and walked out of the room. I went down stairs and found Darcy and Charlie along with two women in the living room, Charlie jumped up when he saw me. "Is something wrong? Do you need something?" he asked looking nervous.

"No, Jane just went to sleep and I was wondering if you had anything I could eat as I didn't have time to eat before coming over here." I asked and explained.

"Of course you can have something to eat!" exclaimed Charlie he introduced me to his sisters Caroline and Louise and started to rush me towards the kitchen "and afterwards I can give you that tour I was talking about earlier" he smiled over his shoulder at me.

"Sure" I smiled at him as he sat me down at the table in the kitchen and went looking for some food. "Hey, do you mind cereal?" he asked.

"That's fine" I said taking a bowl of lucky charms from him and eating them fast, I always loved lucky charms.

When I'd finished Charlie took my arm and showed me the first and second floor, saying that the third was being renovated and it was a big dirty space right now. As we were coming down the stairs I tripped trying to keep up with Charlie and fell down the stairs.

My reflex was to relax so I sustained less injures, but when I landed I realized what a big mistake this was. My artificial leg which clung to the plastic sleeve on my stump came off when my muscles were relaxed and it was moved a certain way and it had been. So I was sitting at the bottom of the stairs and my fake leg was twisted backward in the mess of my skirt. As Charlie reached me I heard two other pairs of footsteps, Darcy and Caroline's.

They came around the corner and saw what appeared to them my leg horribly twisted. "OHHHHH MYYYY GOOOOOD" screamed Caroline. Darcy was looking sick and Charlie was apologizing over and over asking where it hurt.

"Hey" I said and nobody heard me "HEY" I yelled, they all looked at me "I'm fine, Ijusthaveafakeleg" I said quickly.

"What?" three voices asked. "I have a fake leg" I said clearly as I grabbed the banister to put myself up on to the first step where I picked up my prosthetic, which had fallen free, and put it back on my stump. I raised my head and saw three different expressions, shock, confusion, and disgust.


	7. Chapter 7

Darcy was shocked, Charlie was confused and Caroline was disgusted. I sighed and started to get up when I heard a gasp from the top of the stairs. Jane was at the top of the stairs looking down at us. "Lizzie, are you okay?" she asked running down the stairs.

"I'm fine, just fell down some of the stairs and my leg came off" I explained. Jane's eyes immediately sharpened and she looked at the three other people in the hall.

"Do you have a problem with my sister?" she asked coolly.

"No!" said Charlie eyes wide "Lizzie, I'm sure you would like to sit down. Why we don't we go sit in the living room until you have got your breath back?"

"Sure. I suppose I owe you an explanation" I got up with Jane's help and we walked to the living room and I sat down on the sofa with the arm on one side and Jane on the other. "when I graduated from college with a degree in culinary arts I joined the army with my friend and everything was great for a while but then I got posted to Afganistan with my friend and that was fine for a while but then one night when I was on duty with my friend we hit a road side bomb and he was driving and died while I lost my leg. And then I had to go to a rehabilitation center for five months. The night I met you was my first night of freedom after I got out" I smiled and looked up at the three other people in the room.

Darcy suddenly stood up from the armchair in the corner and walked out of the room with a

muttered "Excuse me".

Charlie was staring at me in awe and he rushed over to me. He pulled me up out of the chair and hugged me hard "you are so strong I can't imagine going through that, it's an honor to know someone like you." He gushed smiling brightly.

Caroline was sitting on the couch still and looked at me with hard eyes as she smiled and said "I _can't_ imagine how _hard_ that would have been" she simpered and walked out of the room at the same time as talking about going to see Louisa.

I sighed; well at least I had the important person's approval. If Jane liked Charlie she wouldn't date him if he didn't like me, which was completely stupid but she said it was her big sister privilege.

We stayed in the room for a little bit and then Jane felt sick again and we went back up stair after she threw up in the downstairs bathroom. We sat in the room we were sharing and watched tv for a bit until Jane fell asleep and I went to bed in the other bed in the room.

The next morning I woke up later than Jane and came downstairs to hear her on the phone with our mother. My mother and I never got on well, she had favourites out of her four daughters and I wasn't one of them. My mother loved Jane though and called her every other day. She disapproved of me and my book-worm ways. She said I was going to be a crippled old maid when she once came to the rehab clinic and hadn't come back to visit me the whole time I was there. My father came twice, I was his favourite but he loved his books and hated leaving his shop to mother and her gossip group.

"yes mum, I'm fine I had a little bit of food poisoning and Lizzie's here too and she's looking after me"… "Mum, Lizzie can look after me fine"… "No I don't need you to come"… "No, I won't tell you where Charlie lives" she said goodbye and hung up on mother and turned to me.

"You know she hates me, right?" I asked.

"Mum doesn't hate you she just doesn't think you have your own best interests at heart" said Jane sweetly.

"She didn't visit me for five months while I was in rehab and I only saw her when I got out because dad made her come" I said raising an eyebrow at her.

"She loves you" said Jane closing the matter when Charlie came through the kitchen door. He yawned and made some cereal for himself for breakfast before he noticed us and asked if we wanted anything to eat and showing us were it was.

"So I was thinking that I could drop you off at your apartment this morning and then next weekend I'm having a housewarming party and you could come to that?" asked Charlie

"Sure" said Jane and I nodded. We ate in silence until Caroline came down.

"Charlie! I neeeed you to take me and Louisa to the mall in this town. I can't stand not being up to date in the latest fashions and I'm not right now!" she said loudly drawing out the words so they sounded whiney.

"Okay, I take you after we drop off Jane and Lizzie at their apartment" said Charlie. Caroline sneered when his back was turned.

"Fine" she said and walked out of the kitchen with an apple in her hand.

"Okay so when you guys are packed up I'll call Caroline and Louisa. I hope you could tell me where the mall is because I don't and after I drop off Caroline and Louisa, I can drop you off at your apartment building." He smiled at us and walked out of the kitchen when we agreed.

When we were ready we told Charlie who called his sisters and we all left the house. When I

asked if Darcy would be joining us I was told that he never got up until noon. This cemented my dislike for him, I couldn't stand people who are lazy and don't work for what they have, I knew Darcy was rich but I also knew it was inherited money. As we drove Charlie talked to Jane about a lot of stuff and Caroline sat on her phone along with Louisa. I sat reading my kindle in the back squished between Caroline and Louisa.

"So Caroline, I noticed other cars in the garage so why did you need a ride from Charlie?" I asked cursorily.

"I don't know how to drive, it's unladylike" she said not lifting her head from her phone.

"What does it mean to be ladylike then?" I asked affronted because she knew I could drive or I could until I lost my leg.

"To be able to sing, draw, dance, play and instrument and know at least one different language. Also she has to have an air of grace around her at all times" sniffed Caroline.

"Who do you know like that?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Many people, me, Louisa, Darcy's younger sister Georgina and many others" said Caroline stiffly.

"Okay…" I said as the car stopped and Caroline and Louisa got out of the car. We pulled away from the curve of the parking lot and started to make our way to our home.

It only took us 10 minutes to get to our apartment where we said thank you to Charlie.


	8. Chapter 8

When we walked up to the front of our apartment building from the road through the parking lot we found our parents at the door ringing the intercom incessantly.

"Mum? Dad?" asked Jane confused. They turned around and saw us walking towards them

"Oh my poor Jane!" said mum "you look ill, why did you leave that house? You said they had room and I'm sure they liked to have you around. Now you'll get sick again!" said my mother pulling Jane into a bone crushing hug and smiling vaguely in my direction. Dad came up and hugged me.

"How's my darling daughter?" he whispered in my ear, holding me tightly.

"I'm fine dad" I sad hugging him back "not that it's not nice to see you but why are you here?" I asked as he went to hug Jane and mother turned to me.

"Why, on earth, did you let the nice boy take you home?" she asked "you could of stayed there longer and Jane would be better! Also she might have gotten a date with the nice boy who invited her there" she said with a hand on her hip.

"Mother, it's rude to stay longer than necessary at a person's house, especially when they didn't invite you." I said "and Jane was well enough to go home" I said as Jane moved over to stand beside me.

"Mum Charlie also invited me and Lizzie to a house warming party next weekend and he said we could bring guests" said Jane trying to pacify her.

"Ohh, that's wonderful!" said mother "you have to take Lydia and Kitty with you" she demanded. "you know I heard that he is a very wealthy son of a land owner, if you take kitty and Lydia with you they will probably meet someone who will fall in love with them and then they'll get married and everything will be perfect!" she said as we walked up the stairs to our apartment.

"Mum even you know the world isn't like that" I said exasperated

"Yes in a perfect world you would of listened to me and got married out of collage instead of joining the army, then Robert would have been alive and you would be a whole person made of bones and tissue and flesh, not plastic" she said sharply glancing at me.

Here's the thing about my mum she loves us all, I know that. But she sometimes doesn't think before she speaks and her ideas of what's best for us wouldn't be out of place in 18th century England. When I graduated from collage she wanted me to marry my boyfriend of a year Gorge Wickham, but one the day I graduated I found out that he had been cheating on me and was an alcoholic. Needless to say we broke up and mother wasn't pleased to hear about it. She told me that "everyone makes mistakes" I joined the army two weeks later with Rob. When I came home for leave she said that I liked the army more than my family and I could come home once I quit.

"Franny!" said dad sharply

"What? It's true and-"

"That's enough!" he said loudly and we dropped the subject. Dad had always been protective he was the person who taught me how to shoot a gun at age 11 and put me in martial arts at age 7. He loved me and I loved me, but unlike mother he thought that making my own disions was best for me so my mistakes would be my own and I would learn from them.

"So how are Lydia and Kitty?" I asked "I haven't seen them since I joined the army"

"They've grown into beautiful girls and that are so lively and energetic, I think sometimes they tire themselves out and are just so drowsy." Said mum happily, I looked at Jane and she shook her head this I understood to mean that not everything was good with Kitty and Lydia but not to wreck mum's bubble of obliviousness.

The rest of their visit when without incident and they left with hugs and goodbyes. "Whew, that's exhausting" I said when they'd left

"I like having them here, even if mum is excitable" said Jane nicely.

"Sure" I said.

The next day I went to the café for a shift and half way through it I saw someone I had hoped that I wouldn't ever see again and just as I noticed him he noticed me.

"Liz! Babe!" Gorge Wickham said to me, smiling over the counter "it's great to see you, how are you? You don't still hate me do you?" he asked.

"I don't hate you anymore, I guess" I said not smiling and he beamed at me for a second "but I can't ever trust you again" I said and his smile fell just a bit.

"Come on, babe! I told you I was sorry when we broke up but you wouldn't listen, I made a mistake, aren't we allowed to make mistakes?" he asked slightly frustrated.

"It's not that you made mistakes that upset me" I said sighing "and you still don't understand that. I was more upset that you didn't tell me I had to hear it from the girl you slept with about both the sleeping around and the drugs." I said frustrated. "You weren't up front with me when you thought it would ruin our relationship" I tried to explain.

"What's wrong with keeping secrets when they would upset you?" he asked his voice rising.

"That you shouldn't of have to! That you didn't trust me to see past them!" I said just as loudly.

"I didn't want to hurt you is that so wrong?" he asked yelling.

"If you didn't want to hurt me then why did you do it in the first place?" I asked a tear running

down my face.

"That's who I am, I knew you couldn't have accepted it, so I didn't tell you!" he all out yelled. Just then Ed came out of the kitchen and asked if Gorge could leave.

"No I won't leave!" he yelled "I have a right for her to tell me why she did what she did" he said shaking of Ed's hand.

"I've already explained once before this and you didn't get it anymore that you do now, so no you don't have that right anymore" I said and Ed threw him out of the store as Maddie held me to her as I cried.


	9. Chapter 9

The rest of the day was uneventful and I came home late to find Jane trying to cook dinner. Jane can't cook for the life of her, so the smell I came home to was overcooked cabbage.

"Jane? What is that smell?" I asked cautiously.

"I tried to make some food for us to have for dinner" said Jane coming around the corner of the hall that lead to our kitchen. She had something yellow on her check and she had flour all over her top.

"Jane we've been over this!" I exclaimed and then softly "You. Can't. Cook." I said. I walked into the kitchen and found food everywhere. There were stains on the walls and stuff all over the counters. I sighed "Jane would you go out and get some take out?" I said kindly.

"Sorry I should of stopped trying to fix it and everything but you had to get to work and when I came home and you weren't here, I thought I would do something" said Jane sadly.

I went over and hugged her "I appreciate the gesture but we agreed that I was to cook and buy the food from now on. Don't you remember?" I grinned at her "Now fetch us some food, while I cleanup" I dramatically flung my arm in the direction of the door. She laughed and I smiled.

"Okay, okay!" she said "but you don't have to clean it up and if you feel tired, sit down, you had to work for too long today" she said disapprovingly, but smiling. I neglected to tell her that most of my day was me talking to costumers about books and Ed about good word choice which we had made into a sort of game, whenever we were talking near or to each other we tried to use the strangest words to get across or meaning. She left and I went about cleaning the kitchen. I always hated cleaning other people's messes, not because I thought they should do it, but because I didn't like not knowing what I was cleaning up.

When Jane got back I was almost finished, just wiping down the counters. She set up cutlery and a glass of water on the little table in the corner of the room. We sat down and I looked at the take out Jane had got. "Yum! Indian" I said and served myself some food as Jane got some for herself. "You definately know the way to my heart, Jane" I said smiling after my first bite of the spicy, flavorful food.

"Yep" she laughed "it's through your stomach" she smiled and we ate in silence for a few minutes. "So, how was work?" she asked.

"Some bits were sucky and some were awesome" I said in a roundabout way.

"Which bits were sucky?" she asked concerned.

I sighed "I saw Wickham and we had a bit of a shouting match in the café" I explained

"What?" Jane gasped "are you okay?" she got up and squeezed on to my seat and gave me a hug.

"I'm fine" I said and we ate the rest of our dinner in silence.

When we were going to bed she came up and hugged me and said "what he did to you was wrong" and went to her own room.

The next day I got to work early and was reading when Ed came in from the back door. "hey Lizzie" he said

"Shalom, Ed! Where is Maddie?" I asked because she normally came in with him.

"Nice word choice, Maddie was sick this morning so I urged her to stay home today." He explained.

"Oh I hope she gets better soon" I said sympathetically "and nice word choice, you don't hear about urging people to do stuff much anymore" I complemented.

He smiled and said "well it's about time we opened and I have to get baking". He put on an apron and when into the kitchen and I started to unlock the front doors.

Later in the day, I had to go into the kitchen to help get more food for the counter and when I came back I found a small line in front of the counter. I served them all but the last one when I turned to him, and I realized it was Darcy.

"Darcy!" I said and then when he only nodded I asked in a bored voice "what would you like to order, Darcy?"

"One strong black coffee" He said shortly.

"Fine" I huffed and made his coffee. After I had finished and he had paid he walked to the door where he turned and said "thank you Elizabeth" and left. I was baffled, why was he being somewhat polite to me?

About ten minutes later someone at the back of the store that I hadn't noticed before came up to the counter. I couldn't see his face because he was slouching and wearing a hoodie. "Hello can I help you?" I asked politely.

"Lizzie it's me, I need to speak to you about the man who knew you" I recognized that voice.

"Wickham! What do you want?" I asked sharply.

"Do you know Darcy?" he asked sharply

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked annoyed.

"Do. You. Know. Darcy?" he asked abruptly.

"Yes he is my sister's almost boyfriend's best friend" I said.

"You shouldn't associate with him" said Wick.

"Why ever not?" I asked exasperated, okay I know I don't like Darcy but I really don't want to do anything Wick says to me.

"He's not a nice person" he said shortly.

"And how would you know this?" I asked sharply.

"When you left me I was in a rut and I went back home England. While I was there, I stayed with my godfather and his family because, as you know, my dad's dead and my mother is a bitch. His name was George Darcy. His wife was dead and his two children were Georgina and William Darcy. While I was there Mr. Darcy let me work at his business and everything but a year after I got there Mr. Darcy died in a car accident and his daughter was hurt. When William inherited the company he fired me because he was jealous that I got on with his Dad better than he did. He got my visa provoked and I had to move back to America" Wick sighed "now do you see why he is a bad person?" he said. I nodded and I asked him to leave. He did without any protests.

As I walked home that day I was thinking about Wick's story. I wasn't sure why he had told me this but I saw no reason for him to lie to me about Darcy, we weren't friends and Wickham must of seen the way Darcy acted towards me, so it must have been true.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning I was woken up by the intercom buzzing incessantly. I got up and put on a shirt and sweats, when I looked at the person on the door step I saw Colin and groaned.

Colin's mum and my mother were friends and we had to stand each other's company from the age of 6 to 16 when I had better things to do and he moved with his dad when his parents got divorced. Recently he had moved back because of a job and his mother had been lamenating about him being single so my mother had decided that I could date him even 'in my damaged state'. I had gone on one date with him and hated every minute of it; he had talked constantly about the owner of the company he worked a Mrs. De Burgh who had taken a personal interest in him when he started working for her, the fact that I shouldn't be ashamed to be 'damaged' (seriously that was the word he used) even when it would prevent me from being a good wife, and his job as a representative for the company in America since it was based in England.

I pressed the intercom button "What do you want Colin?" I asked in a tired voice.

"I want to talk to you" he said

"Yes, I guessed that but why?" I asked rubbing the bridge of my nose, as I let him in the building. When he knocked on the door I opened it with the security chain still attached and looked at him.

"I want to invite you to a house warming party of one of my neighbors" he said "as my date" I groaned.

"And why would I want to go? I can't dance in my 'damaged state' according to you" I said spitefully.

"Now Elizabeth, my darling, no need to be mean, we both know it's true but you mother thought I should take you, and my new neighbor Charlie said I could bring a guest" said Collin "and you should do something apart from mope around all day" he said pompously.

"What did you say the new neighbors name was again?" I asked with a feeling of dread.

"Charlie, Charles Bingly" said Collin.

"I won't need you to take me then" I said smugly, happy that I had a way to get out of it.

"What? Why?" he asked surprised.

"I'm already going, I've already met Charlie and he has already invited us" I explained.

"Great, I'll meet you there then for our date!" he said.

"What? No! I am going to this party as me not someone's date," and I slammed the door in his face.

After he had left I got ready for work and went to see where Jane was because she hadn't come out of her room, it was Friday and normally she left early to buy lollipops from the local drugstore near the store so she could give them out at the end of the day. In her room I found clothes strewn everywhere and Jane looking through then franticly.

"What on earth is going on?" I asked surprised at the mess.

"I can't find the shoes I want to wear tomorrow night!" she said.

"Jane you have all of tonight to find them and right now you need to go to work so you can be on time. Your third graders will be upset, no lollipops for them today!" I said

"What? I have lots-" she glanced at her watch "oh no! I'm late! Got to go Lizzie I'll see you tonight?" asked Jane

"Yeah I should be home at like 4:30" I said as she ran out of the room and out the front door. I chuckled to myself as I ate my breakfast and went to work.

When I got there I found that neither Ed or Maddie were there yet and it was about 10 minutes till opening, they were usually here much earlier than this. I went in and got everything ready, found the cookie dough Ed made late yesterday and put it in the oven for cooking so they would be ready when I opened shop. I wiped down the tables and counters and put everything in its proper place. I then went and unlocked to doors to the shop.

Five minutes after I had served my first customer Ed rushed in to the shop.

"Hey, what made you late?" I asked curiously "If you don't mind me asking" I said after a second of silence.

He grinned hugely "no I don't mind at all I'll tell the entire world if I could" he said happily "Maddie is pregnant!"

"Oh my gosh! That's wonderful!" I said hugging him tightly.

"I know, she will only be coming in in the afternoons from now on because of the morning sickness" he said smiling still just then a customer walked in and we got back to our jobs. Ed was very distracted and he kept burning himself in the kitchen so I told him to take over cashier duties and baked for a while. When Maddie came in at lunch that is how she found us.

"Ed" she said as she kissed him on the cheek "why aren't you in the kitchen and where is Lizzie?"

"Ed was so happy for you and he kept accidently burning himself on things so I took over and sent him out here" I said coming out of the kitchen "congratulations, by the way I'm so happy for you." I smiled brightly

"Thanks" she smiled hugely "for both saving my husband's hands and about the baby, I couldn't be happier and it smells great in here" she grinned and walked behind the counter to take over from Ed who followed me back into the kitchen.

"Lizzie!" he exclaimed "I didn't know you could cook" he said surprised.

"I graduated from college with a degree in culinary arts" I said shyly as he gaped at me.

"Well what have you been making then?" he asked excited

"Cookies, crossiants, jelly tarts, pies, just normal stuff," I said "do you want to try some of it?" I

asked nervously, he nodded so we went around the kitchen and tasted everything and he said it was all delicious.

"Lizzie, if you keep this up then I won't ever let you leave the kitchen, would you like to do what we did today in future, with you in the kitchen in the morning and waitressing in the afternoon?" he asked

"Yes I would love that!" I said hugging him I went out to Maddie and told her of this new arrangement. She said she couldn't wait to try some of my food and asked why she hadn't been invited to the impromptu taste test session in the kitchen.


	11. Chapter 11

As I was sitting on the bus on the way home I realized that life was pretty good, right now. Jane was happy along with the rest of my family and I was more relaxed than I had been in months.

When I got home Jane was already home and was at our kitchen table with a cup of tea. When she saw me walk in she jumped up and dragged me to her room so I could help her with her outfit. We ended up deciding on a cream dress, with two black chiffon stripes that went down the length of the dress on the front and back twisting right behind the neck. It came down to just above the knee and was very flattering on. Jane had a pair of cream flats to go with it, she was already so tall heels would look weird.

"Okay now we have my outfit we need to look for something for you to wear!" said Jane happily.

I backed up "no, nooo" I said "I am wearing dress pants and a blue blouse and flats" I said

"Come on Lizzie, you can't hide forever and I really don't want people to think you don't try, these are people who Charlie has to live around and we are like the only people whom he invited outside his neighborhood. What if they don't like us and he is embarrassed by me?" she said worried, I knew she wasn't trying to guilt trip me, she was just bad at being nervous and was talking about her own insecurities, I sighed.

"Fine, I will wear a dress but not one that people can see my real leg." I said already regretting my decision as she pulled me to my room to look at my clothes and after we found a skirt that was short and tight to mid-thigh and had an ankle-length chiffon over skirt, Jane declared that I had no good shirts and we made our way to her room. We found a white cotton blouse that had flat gold studs clustered at the shoulders and dispersing downwards, and then we found a pair of gold flats.

"Great now we both have nice outfits!" said Jane and I smiled at her. I had to admit that trying it all together made me feel pretty for the first time in forever.

"Yeah, I guess" I said "but this does not mean that I will do this often, understand? I'm only doing this so you can impress your future husband's neighbors" I said teasingly.

"Lizzie! We aren't getting married-"

"Yet" I said.

"I don't even know if he likes me!" she exclaimed

"But you like him?" I said and unknowingly turning it into a question.

"Yes I do. He's so nice and I really would like to get to know him" she said dreamily.

"Then you will" I said "and until then, get out of the kitchen so I can make dinner" I said shooing her away.

The next morning I got up and found Jane sitting at the table with Lydia and Kitty who were chattering away.

"- And I was like 'Ohh no you didn't' and she was like 'Prove it girl' and I was like 'Look at the pics girl' and she did and I was like 'Girl you leave him alone and I won't give you a social death' and she started crying like a baby." Lydia was saying to Jane while Kitty laughed at the poor girl's misfortune.

"Kitty! Lydia! It's been a while, why are you here so early?" I asked and they turned around to look at me with confused faces.

"Lizzie! Hi, how are you? Haven't seen you in ages! And what do you mean, why are we here so early? The party is at 3 in the afternoon, so we need all day to get ready!" said Lydia giggling and smiling at me happily.

"Well I have to go to work for a couple hours today in the morning and I have to bake something for them as well before I can get ready for a party" I said and walked to a cupboard and got a bowl to eat cereal in.

"Uhh, you are so boring!" said Kitty from behind Lydia "you never do anything interesting" she said as she walked out of the room.

I went to get dressed and then to work for three hours before Maddie came in and then she found out about the party and made me go home early. When I got home I found Lydia and Jane out and Kitty alone in the apartment.

"Hey" I said to her

"Hi" she said not looking up from her phone.

I walked into the kitchen and made some cranberry and white chocolate cookies, as well as some chocolate chip cookies. After that Jane and Lydia came home and she showed us the clothes she had brought.

"Okay, you look beautiful Lyddie but I am going to get ready now and I will be back in a few minutes" I walked out of the room and went to my bedroom, where I put on the clothes we had picked out yesterday and brushed my hair before tying the top half of my hair back with a mother of pearl hair clip. I then put on a little lipstick and some mascara.

When I came out of my room I found the others already dressed and it was about 2:30 so we all got in a cab and went to Charlie's house with the cookies.

"Jane!" cried Charlie when we rang the doorbell and he answered. "It's so nice to see you! I hope you have a nice time tonight! And Lizzie! You look beautiful I almost didn't recognize you! And who are these lovely ladies?" he asked looking at Lydia and Kitty.

"Oh" said Jane blushing "these are my younger sisters, Lydia and Kitty"

"A pleasure to meet you!" said Charlie as he shook both their hands. He looked at me and noticed I was carrying a box with me "Lizzie what are you carrying?" he asked politely.

"Oh I wanted to give you a small house warming gift" I said and handed him a the box of cookies he opened it and smiled "I always say that a house isn't a home until it has smelt like cookies once."

"Absolutely true and I love them, but there aren't any nuts, right?" he asked "Only Darcy is allergic and I don't want him to have an allergic reaction" he explained as I shook my head "Anyway let me show you where we are hosting the guests" and he ushered us into the house.


End file.
